STILL IN SHOCK

I am still flabbergasted by the Mayor's action.



The Courier Monday evening posted on line a report by Sergio Bichao which I am sure will appear in some form or other in Tuesday’s print edition. Sergio has a little misinformation; he writes “The city’s new public works director is a career official who got paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to leave his executive position at the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority a few years ago.

Watson and former PMUA Assistant Executive Director David Erwin were awarded in 2012 a combined $1.2 million severance package by the PMUA Board of Commissioners even though many believed that an arbitration deal in the works would have awarded far less money.”

Unfortunately the last part is true and many believe that there would be no reward since Watson and Erwin had resigned their positions. 

That was a voluntary act and there was no record of a settlement offer beforehand for them to do so. Nor since they were not terminated without cause but had resigned on their own free will, they were not legally entitled to any contracted severance pay.

A rump Commissioners meeting in which newly appointed Commissioner Dunn and Alternate Commissioner Sanders with Commissioner Tolliver as a majority of three awarded the severance pay.

Sergio writes that “Mapp on Monday acknowledged the “blow back” of his decision, but said Watson, who led the city’s DPW before moving to the PMUA, was “the most qualified of all the applicants.” “He could easily hit the ground running,” Mapp told the Courier News. “He has residency here in the city, which is something hard for me to ignore when I have someone qualified to do the job”

Mayor Mapp your reasoning that Watson is the most qualified is weird to say the least. If we needed a new CFO and if Bernie Madoff is out of jail and applies for the position there would be no question that he was the most qualified person.

Qualifications and capabilities are fine but ethics and morals are more important. As Jerimiah 13::23 said "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?”  A man’s history speaks for itself. The only worse appointment you could make would be Sharon Robinson-Briggs as City Administrator; after all she had 8 years’ experience and I am sure there is no one in Plainfield more qualified.

I suppose we should have anticipated something like this since earlier this year when in the selection of a different person which in effect Councilor Taylor inferred was an accommodation to the Council you defended it as a political necessity.  When will we ever learn what the “Quid pro quo” is that can justify in your mind this appointment; Plainfield residency to get Taylor off your back?

9AM -My Courier was so wet this morning that it was only fit for paper mache.